Rebel
by Cuteandgirly
Summary: Every day, fighters are chosen from a roster of five people. These five people must fight to decide who lives and who dies. Escape has never before been possible. But one day, one boy refuses to give up and deems himself a Rebel, despite the horrible things that have happened to Rebels before him. Rated Teen in case of violence. Extra characters: Master Hand, Marth, Fox, Kirby.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"That new guy, Fox, he could be a real threat to us." Ike commented, looking Zelda straight in the eyes.

She looked away before responding to the swordsman, "I actually hope he's stronger than me. I don't want to be put in a Final Smash battle with you."

"I can't say I don't agree." Ike sighed. "I'd lower my rank, but I'd hate to feel the pain of defeat."

Zelda shivered. Master Hand made sure everyone did their best in the battles.

"I don't think you have to worry about Fox, guys." Marth, who had been listening in, walked over to the two champions. "He's been exploring the stages more than training. He may be good, but he seems to have a different objective in mind."  
"What do you mean?" Ike narrowed his eyes. "He should know by now there's no way out of Master Hand's realm."  
"He seems to have his own opinion on that," Marth replied, cracking his knuckles. "I've been watching him. He seems to have a foothold somewhere, I just don't know where. He promised me that if he does find a way out, he'll do his best to come back and tell us."  
"He never said anything to us about that," Zelda pipped up.

"That's because he told me that to get me off his tail. He doesn't like being stalked." Marth explained.

vvv

Two days later, Fox was nowhere to be seen.  
"What could've happened to him?" Zelda glanced around worriedly, as she searched his stage.

"Either he found a way out, or Master Hand got to him." Ike crossed his arms. "And Marth said he had promised to come back for us, so I have a feeling Master Hand just didn't like the idea of a rebel."

Marth dashed to the two, with Kirby trailing behind.

"Guys, listen, Fox-" Marth began to speak, but he was out of breath and Kirby interrupted with his own conversation starter.

"Master Hand is bringing in a new token to fight with us!" The little pink puff-ball floated around Ike and Zelda. "They'll be arriving in that unused stage, Kraid's Lair! Come on!" Kirby bounced off in the direction of the area.

"Wait, guys, this is important!" Marth raised his hand, but Ike began to dash off towards Kraid's Lair anyway.

"Save it Marth, I wanna know who my new competition is going to be."

Zelda glanced pleadingly towards Marth before following Ike. Marth shook his head and ran after the others.

vvv

Master Hand wiggled his fingers, forming a ball of energy in his palm. A portal.

"A battle a day keeps the ansies away!" His deep, menacing voice echoed throughout the cave. "Meet your new challenger!"

Light flashed, temporarily blinding those who watched. When they regained their vision, a girl dressed in an armor suit sat shaking her head in an attempt to regain focus.  
"What...where am I?! Who are you?"  
Master Hand hushed the panicking woman.

"You are in my realm. You died in your universe, but you get a final chance to live for something before continuing to your afterlife." He said.

Zelda knew this speech well. She had heard it many times, explained to many tokens. Ike had as well. She and Ike were the oldest there at the time. Master Hand would go on to explain how battling would work, and how the two champions would face off in a Final Smash battle to see who would continue on to the afterlife. Tokens here were just as alive as in their previous life. A final smash could be initiated at any time, but it killed the victim. This is why Master Hand banned it from all battles except the Final Smash battle.

Marth finally caught up with the others and hurried over to Zelda and Ike, panting.

"Guys, listen to me. Fox was right."

"What do you mean?" Alerted, Zelda focused all her attention on Marth.

"Even if he didn't find a way out, Master Hand wouldn't have made him 'disappear' unless he was close. There has to be a way back to our worlds."  
Ike shook his head.

"Rebels will only hurt our community. Why can't you accept the second chance Master Hand has presented you with?"  
"Community? Second chance? Have you gone mad?" Marth's face turned red as he glared at Ike. "We're forced to fight like gladiators. Pained if we lose, dead if we win. How is that a second chance? What community do we even have?"

"Have _you _gone mad?" Ike stood up and shouted. "There is no way out of here. Just accept it Marth!"

Zelda shrunk back and Kirby hid beneath her arm. All fell silent. Master Hand and the newcomer simply stayed where they were, watching all that unfolded. It was a few minutes before Ike finally shook his head and spoke one last paragraph.

"Fine. Believe what you want to believe. But keep me out of this. I don't want to simply 'disappear' like all who have gone before." Ike turned and walked back to his stage. Marth stood where he was, face still red with the heat of the moment.

Zelda picked up Kirby and hurried to another stage, wanting to get away from the tension. The girl in the suit glanced at Master Hand, who disappeared back to wherever he stayed most of the time. Several minutes passed before either token spoke up. Finally Marth looked at her.

"Sorry about that. Not a very nice welcome was it. What's your name?"  
The girl simple watched him with cold eyes while answering, "Samus."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_Current tokens: Zelda, Ike, Kirby, Marth, Samus  
_

_Marth's fascination with Fox's work has been growing. I fear it's clouding his judgement._

"It's about time Master Hand chose the fighters for the Final Smash battle." Zelda commented simply. The five tokens remained silent. They all knew who would be chosen for the battle, it was obvious. Zelda and Ike were the strongest fighters, as well as the oldest. They would be the ones to enter the battle.

"Zelda," Ike's voice cracked for a moment, but then he cleared it. "May the loser be the one who needs it most."  
Zelda nodded quietly. Almost ten minutes passed before Marth finally spoke up.

"I think I've found the way out."  
Ike groaned and held his head. "Marth, will you ever just give up?"  
Marth ignored Ike and spoke to the others, who were very much intrigued.

"Fox was very close, if not successful when he disappeared. I retraced his steps as far as I could, and I think I understand what he was looking for."  
"What?" Kirby squeaked anxiously. Marth lowered his voice in case Master Hand would be listening, though he was nowhere in sight.

"The key to the portal isn't _where _it is, it's _when _it is."  
"What do you mean?" Zelda tilted her head in confusion.

"Fox found that every thirty-eight years in his world- I'm not sure how long that would be in ours though - there would be an anomaly that occurred in the newest tokens stage. At the time that was Lylat Cruise. That's also where he was last seen before he disappeared." Marth's was filled with excitement as he whispered this.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Master Hand just released him because he was causing too much of a rebellion?" Ike asked, rubbing his temples. Marth looked up to face the other swordsman.

"Has it ever occurred to you that the only logical reason Master Hand would want to avoid a rebellion was in case there _was _an escape?"

Ike sighed and turned away.  
"Fine, go on ahead and keep believing that. But if the same thing that happened to Fox happens to you, I'm not going to try to save you."

vvv

"Today Master Hand announces the fighters." Zelda sighed. She and the other four tokens made their way to Battlefield where the great white hand waited.

"Tokens! Within the next seven days, a grand battle will take place. This battle will decide who will remain to continue fighting in this universe, and who will pass on to their afterlife."  
Kirby fidgeted. No matter how many times Marth had explained to him only the strongest fighters were chosen, the small pink fluff-ball continued to fear his name would be called.

"And the two fighters will be...Ike..."  
Ike stood, unsurprised his name would be called. Zelda began to stand, knowing she would be called next.

"...and Marth!"  
Gasps of surprise came from the five tokens, except for Samus.

"But," Marth stuttered out. Master Hand grabbed the prince by the waist and placed him next to Ike.

"Within the next seven days, the two of you shall decide on a stage. You will then battle in a Final Smash battle to decide who will go and who will stay."  
The tokens remained silent. Kirby was breathing hard with huge eyes, and Marth's face was pale. Zelda covered her face with gloved hands, trying to block out what was happening.

_This isn't right!_ She thought. _Ike's the strongest, and Marth's nowhere near as powerful as I am. _

But Master Hand seemed firm in his decision.  
"This has to be a mistake," Marth pleaded. He was obviously terrified; he would never survive the battle.

"You have three days." Master Hand's voice echoed across the area and in an instant he was gone.


End file.
